Ilvermorny; School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

"Colloshoo."

I glanced up from my book, the Encyclopedia Of Incantations, and caught Robert and Ivan casting spells on the shoes of new students, making them stick to the cabin's carpeted floor like flies in a spider's web. I was going to scold them for being such bullies when the echo of my father's warning floated through my head.

Mind your business, he'd said. Don't draw attention to yourself or make yourself a target. Especially when it comes to those sorted into Wampus.

I'd done just that. For the past six years, I made myself invisible. I kept to myself; I kept my head down. I listened to his advice and stayed out of everyone's way. All because he didn't want me to get hurt.

The more time passed, the more I began to hate that advice. I didn't mind being invisible. People tended to let their guard down around me because of it. But I itched for a confrontation. I was tired of being stuck in the shadows and looked down upon.

"Colloshoo," Ivan whispered with a flick of his wrist, aiming his wand at the floor of the crowded train car where a pair of shoes rested. I glanced over at the owner's face to see if she noticed the spell's effect, but of course, she didn't. She was as green as new witches came, and wouldn't think to be wary of those riding with her to Ilvermorny, when realistically, they were exactly the sort of people she should be wary of. And now, due to her parents' lack of preparation, she'd be forced to walk to the Sorting Ceremony barefoot on her first day.

Not your problem. My gaze flicked back to the book in my hands, and I let out a sigh. Only it was hard to concentrate. The words on the page seemed to flicker and writhe in front of my eyes as if my conscience was trying to punish me.

"Colloshoo," Robert whispered and snickered as he cast the spell on a boy slouched in the seat in front of me. He was sleeping, his head resting on his shoulders. I stared, tempted to snap at the kid for being such an easy target.

He'll learn the hard way, my father would say, and my fingers tightened around the book. I knew he was just looking out for me, wanting me to stay out of trouble. Being a bystander wasn't what I wanted, yet neither was gaining any enemies, because that was what would happen if I stood up for someone else. I'd be labeled an agitator, challenging the status quo among the wizards and witches, and I wasn't sure I wanted that. I wasn't a valiant hero. I'd leave that to those in Pukwudgie.

"Next stop, Ilvermorny!" The conductor hollered through the intercom, and the students all stirred to life, the cabin buzzing with both excitement and anticipation. I snuck a glance at those who'd been spelled and watched as realization dawned on all their innocent faces. It happened every year without fail, and yet I never did a thing to prevent it- a situation that had me feeling more than a bit remorseful each time.

Guilt swooped in and sank its talons into my abdomen like a vulture, making it tougher than ever to follow my father's demands.

Don't get involved, dad's reminder reverberated around my skull like a mantra. But I could already feel my inner devil telling me to disregard his warning. Or was it an angel?

Whimpers pulled me in like a magnet, and I watched as the unfortunate newcomers tugged at their feet while compassion tugged at my heartstrings. One girl was on the verge of tears, and that was all it took to finally steel my resolve.

I casually swept my gaze over to where Robert and Ivan sat. They were smirking at each other, reveling in their cruelty. My focus darted to the wizard sitting across from them. Dillon Gnash. He was the one I was most concerned about. Anyone who attended Ilvermorny was. He was the leader of the Calumniators- the gang of those who enjoyed terrorizing others. Lucky for me, and for the newbies I decided to rescue, he seemed to be sleeping.

I readjusted my book on my lap to grab my wand. In a very low whisper, I disbanded all active spells. "Finite Incantatum." All at once their shoes were released, and before Robert and Ivan could realize what I'd done, I sent a confusion charm at them. "Confundus."

They blinked rapidly as if they were trying to adjust to a bright light. A grin crept onto my lips at my act of defiance and the fact that I'd managed to get away with it.

"Where am I?" Ivan asked, looking around the train with furrowed brows like he'd never seen one before.

I paled. Oh, crap.

As if the Savior had been looking over me, the train slowly rolled to a stop. "We've reached Ilvermorny, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please remember to grab your things before exiting the cabins. Don't want a bunch of kids thinking they can sift back to a moving train just to retrieve personal items they'd forgotten. I can tell you right now, it won't be pretty."

"Wizardry?" Robert questioned as I quickly grabbed my small carry-on of essentials. My luggage was stored in the storage compartment and would be brought to my room later.

"What's wrong with him?"

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over my head. As I adjusted the leather strap of my bag, I peeked up from under my lashes over at Dillon to find him awake and studying Robert.

Panic flooded my system. I needed to get off this train. Now.

I stood from my seat just as Ivan spoke. "What's wrong with who? Who are you? Where am I?"

Shit. Shit. Shit!

I messed up. I shouldn't have inflicted that confusion charm without ever having practiced using it on anything other than pixies when they try to sabotage my potions.

Dillon squinted at Ivan, then at Robert. "What the devil's wrong with you both?"

"What kind of sorcery is this?" Robert asked as if he hadn't heard him, gawking at the magical train while Ivan poked a floating orb of light. To any muggle, it'd look like an ordinary monorail. But to us magic weilders, we saw its true form- an old-time steam train with rows of red-velvet seats, mahogany wood panels, and pattern carpeted flooring. It was also enchanted to be larger on the inside than on the outside. Students from all over North America took the Ilvermorny Express, which gave us safe passage through the enchantments guarding the school on Mount Greylock, Massachusetts.

A lightbulb seemed to go off in Dillon's head, his dark eyebrows rising in understanding. Dread pumped through my veins, causing my entire body to tremble.

I rushed forward, striving to appear calm when really I was freaking out, all the while hoping no one noticed my panicky state. As I pushed through the crowd, I caught a glimpse of him pulling out his wand.

My newfound terror was like a shot of espresso, propelling me with the speed of lightning as I bulldozed my way to the nearest exit.

"Appare Vestigium."

I tensed up at the spell- which revealed recently used spells and who cast them- before resuming my efforts to flee like a bat out of hell. But it was too late.

A jolt of shock shot through my hand, as if my wand had become a live wire, and I let out a high-pitched squeak of surprise.

Everything in the cabin went deathly quiet, like a funeral march meant just for me.

With my heart in my throat, I slowly turned to look over my shoulder, and my eyes collided with icy blue ones. I'd been caught.

As if on cue, the doors chose that moment to open, and I flung myself through them with the grace of a drunk elephant.

Stumbling, I caught myself just before face-planting on the station's platform and turned to head in the direction of my second home. Modeled after Hogwarts, the structure loomed ominously in the twilight like a giant, pointy reminder that magic wasn't a fairytale. The fortress's aged stonework was enchanted to ward off all types of weather, spells, and creatures that'd otherwise damage it.

I all but ran toward Ilvermorny's large, front wrought-iron gates, pushing through the throng of students, all of whom were dressed like me in the standard navy blue and cranberry robes. With my light brown hair, it'd be easy to blend in. At least I had that going in my favor. Perhaps my years of invisibility paid off, and Dillon wouldn't know who I was? That hope brought me a bit of relief.

I glanced over my shoulder a few times to make sure Dillon hadn't followed me. It wasn't until I got inside the Dining Hall that I finally let out the breath I'd been holding; my lungs squawking at me for neglecting oxygen. Even if Dillon did seek retribution, he wouldn't do anything in here, not with the professors all sitting at their table on the raised platform.

In their black robes, they watched over all of us like a bunch of ravens, eerie eyes shifting left and right to track our movements. With a shiver, I tore my gaze away from them and set my sights on my destination.

It was a battle making my way through the hundreds of students to reach the otherside of the Hall where my House table was located; The Horned Serpent. I glanced up at the banners of a coiled snake that hung overhead, matching the emblem on my robe that marked me as a member.

"Aspen!"

My eyes dropped to where my bestfriend Jade was sitting on the long wooden bench with an open spot waiting for me, her hand waving in the air dramatically so that I wouldn't miss her.

My lips split into a large smile as I rushed over and squeezed her in a tight hug before claiming the seat next to her. "Jade! I missed you! You barely wrote me all summer!"

She gave me a wry smile. "I was hanging out with Prescot." She batted her lashes playfully, hinting at her meaning.

My jaw dropped and I smacked her teasingly in the arm. "Why didn't you say anything!?" I was a little offended that my bestfriend didn't share that she spent the summer with her years-long crush.

"Because I didn't want to jynx it," she answered, and the rueful expression she wore told me she regretted keeping it from me, so I forgave her. "Nothing happened. Our parents decided to visit in the Bermuda Triangle at the same time to find some lost relic. Boring," she groused with a dramatic eye roll and twirled her short dark green locks with a single finger. "So we just entertained ourselves by finding other things to do. His sisters and my brothers were with us, so it wasn't like anything could've happened anyway."

I nodded along to her story, remembering the last letter she owled me that explained she'd be hard to reach for a while because of this impromptu exploration. "Well, at least the ice is broken," I said, smiling and wiggling my eyebrows at her. "Now you won't be all starstruck when you see him."

She scoffed in halfhearted annoyance, but her blush said everything. "I wasn't startstuck," she argued, but pinched her lips together at my pointed expression.

We broke into a fit of giggles when a loud thud made us jump, and I looked down to find my Encyclopedia Of Incantations book on the table in front of me with a splayed-out hand resting on top of it. I swallowed around a dry tongue, and followed the arm all the way up to the person standing behind me, towering like a grumpy obelisk. The blood drained from my face.

"You dropped this, Aspen," Dillon said, his tone dripping with inference, communicating that he was aware of my existence and that I'd just made an enemy of him.

With our proximity, his warm breath skated across my cheeks, causing the loose dark curls that framed my face to stir, and I took a sharp intake of air that went nowhere.

He held my eyes a moment longer, letting me see the threat lurking within his, promising my infringement wouldn't go unpunished. Without another word, he pushed off the table and strode toward where the Wampus House was located. Regret and fear gnawed at me like an upset stomach as I watched him saunter away.

My father had warned me of this. I should've listened. It was my final year, dammit. I was THIS close to getting out of here unscathed and nemesis-free! How stupid of me to try and act like a hero. In the wizarding world, nothing good came from fighting other people's battles. It was the first lesson we learned when we were old enough to enter the hallowed halls of Ilvermorny.

A harsh tug on my arm brought me back to awareness, and I looked into Jade's green eyes, which were wide in alarm. "What was that about?"

I opened my mouth to answer her, but no words came out.

"What did I miss?" The final member of our trio asked, drawing out the 's', while plopping into the seat across from ours. Jade and I both startled, still jumpy from the encounter with the campus bully, and turned to look at Marc with shared fearful expressions.

"Oh, damn, what did I miss?" He repeated excitedly, scooting closer into his seat and giving us a side-eye that screamed 'spill the tea!'

Before either of us could answer, Professor Delwell's voice bellowed over the chaotic clamor of the Dining Hall. "Students take your seats. Lower your voices. We are about to begin the Sorting Ceremony to place the incoming students into their Houses."

Marc gave us a look that said he expected an explanation later, and turned in his seat so he could watch the proceedings. My heart thudded in my chest like it was trying to break free as the group of younglings marched up to the platform where the Sorting Cauldron sat. A murmur went through the crowd, seeming to take in the swarm of people who'd be joining our Houses.

I nervously gnawed on my thumbnail, my other hand clasping the book that sat before me like a constant reminder of the crushing terror Dillon had just dealt me. Out of all the enemies for me to have, it had to be Dillon.

The first student approached the Cauldron. She was a tiny thing, with straight jet-black hair, a short bob that fell just above her shoulders. Professor Delwell instructed her on what to do, and her shaky hand lifted in the air to touch the curdling smoke that wafted from the Cauldron.

"Ah!" It roused, and the smoke began to pour out of the bowl in a thick, white stream. The student's eyes widened and she gasped as she took a step back only to stop herself at the last moment. "You're a Mudblood, child, how exciting it must be for you to be the first generation of your bloodline given admission to Ilvermorny."

The girl squeaked and squirmed, looking around the room as if expecting someone to save her. It was slightly amusing to see the fear in her face considering the Cauldron was a mere bowl of smoke, but I still felt sorry for her, knowing she was going to be in for a rude awakening here as an unprepared witch.

"Let's see." The Cauldron bubbled and gurgled, sounding as if it had its own underwater dialect. "You have a good heart, with a strong sense of empathy. You would do well in Pukwudgie."

The House of "Pudgies" all roared in approval, banging their hands on their tables and waving her over to them with a welcoming cheer.

"Next!" Professor Delwell bellowed over their shouting, and a stalky boy with a flat nose and a crooked smile came forward. He was grinning from ear to ear, and I could tell from his expression that he was confident about which House he'd be sorted into.

He thrust both his hands into the white smoke and wiggled his fingers.

"Hmm, familiar," the Cauldron said with a sniff. "I can sense the Crumpleh in you, with a hankering for adventure that's sure to make you a perfect fit for Thunderbird House. After all, all your brothers have already made their mark there."

"I'd like to join them," the boy replied, looking over to where I assumed his brothers were sitting at their table.

"And so you shall!" The Cauldron boomed. The words barely left him before the boy took off for his designated table, his head held high and his shoulders back in pride as everyone screeched and cried in congratulations.

"Next!"

Another girl moved toward the Cauldron, not looking as confident as the last boy. She was tall, and slender, with dark hair and a face that'd charm the pants off anyone. She bit her bottom lip before sucking in a breath and stretching an arm forward.

"Oh, my," the Cauldron gasped. "Well, isn't this a royal treat? We have the one and only daughter of the noble Gnash family being sorted today!"

Gnash!? Dillon had a sister?

My eyes darted to where he usually sat at the table with his friends, and my heart skipped a beat when I saw him already staring at me. His face was stone, his eyes flat and cold. I swallowed hard and immediately averted my gaze, focusing on the girl who was apparently his sister!

"Seems you've forsaken the family tradition of bloodlust and gone for something a bit more cerebral - satisfying your thirst for mystery and intrigue instead."

I cocked my head to the side in befuddlement, trying to discern what on earth the Cauldron was getting at.

The iron bowl exhaled contentedly like it had just sampled a particularly tasty meal. "Since I am to assign you to Houses that reflect your nature, it would seem that I must put you in Horned Serpent."

"What!?"

Shocked at the news, the entire Hall erupted in hushed whispers and remarks about her placement. She'd be the first Gnash ever not placed in the violent Wampus.

But Dillon's sister didn't seem surprised by the news, rather her features gave me the impression she had expected as much.

I was tempted to look over at Dillon again, but the uncanny feeling of being watched told me he hadn't yet looked away from me, and I didn't want to see his harsh gaze again.

Instead, I watched as his sister strolled over to our table. Her eyes scanned each of us, as if she were looking for someone. That mystery was revealed when her eyes landed on me and something behind them seemed to click. She strode up to Marc with single-minded determination, like a heat-seeking missile locked onto its target. She may not be as blood-hungry as the rest of her kin, but she still had an aura of intimidation about her.

"May I sit here?"

Unable to speak, he nodded to her. I realized then that everyone was staring at her like she were some sort of circus freak, myself included. I snapped myself out of it and gave her a timid smile. "I'm sorry about our behavior. We're usually more welcoming."

Her eyes met mine, the same icy blue as her brothers, and she returned my coy smile, pairing it with a shrug. "It's okay. I was anticipating this."

"You knew you'd be placed here?" Jade inquired, leaning forward as if we were all sharing some sort of secret.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, I'm not aggressive like the rest of my family. I'd rather cram my head with knowledge and useful charms than combative spells and hexes. I'm Aster, by the way."

We all introduced ourselves to her, as well as a few others who were sitting nearby, completely ignoring the rest of the Sorting Ceremony. Now that she'd been sorted here, nothing else seemed as interesting.

"My brother returned that to you, didn't he?"

My eyes flew to Aster, not realizing I'd been staring down at my Encyclopedia Of Incantations book. "Uh, yeah," I rasped, my stomach bottoming out.

She let out a soft laugh. "Don't let him scare you. I admire you for defending those kids who didn't know about the hazing. If I didn't have him protecting me, I could've easily been targeted as well. I even pointed that out to him so that he wouldn't be so hard on you."

Both Jade and Marc's head twisted in my direction to give me admonishing expressions. "You did what!?" Jade growled. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Was that why Ivan and Robert needed to be sent to the hospital wing? They caused quite the hold-up on the train," Marc said, raising an accusatory brow at me.

A third-year on Marc's other side laughed. "Yeah! And they totally embarrassed themselves and the other Calumniators," Nick added, and all my optimism that things couldn't be that bad had been completely squashed.

"Aspen! I swear to Fate, if you die..." Jade let the threat hang in the air, giving me a stern look as if she were going to do something about it.

"Oh, quit your fussin'. Dillon's not gonna murder me," I reassured them, but my gaze slid to Aster in a sidelong glance, like, 'Right?'

Her response was a sympathetic smile.

Oh great, so I'm dead.

Once the Sorting Ceremony was done and dusted, it was time for the feast, and our table was overflowing with more food than we could possibly stomach. Even though it felt like my guts were in knots, I ate anyway. After all, it could be my last meal.

During which Jade prattled on about her family's search for the relic that gave the user the ability to see through glamours and incantations- something about it tugged at my memory, and I couldn't help but wonder if it was mentioned in my book.

A bell dinging brought the room to silence, and we all shifted in our seats to see Headmaster Magnus standing at a podium positioned before the attentive crowd, his youthful eyes twinkling with mischief, indicating he was going to make a juicy announcement. "Students of Ilvermorny, I bring thrilling tidings that will surely have you all enthralled and make this school year one for the ages!" As he spoke, his voice echoed with excitement and anticipation, igniting a spark of curiosity within each student.

"I am pleased to announce that this leap year's Elemental Cup will be held here within our own school's walls." The news sent the room into a frenzy of celebration, with people roaring and reveling in the momentous event, and I was no exception.

He was beaming with pride, basking in the attention and patiently waiting until the cheers had subsided before he continued speaking. "As many of you know, the prestigious event brings together witches and wizards from all over the wizarding world, fostering camaraderie and healthy competition among the young magical community. The chosen upperclass students will have the opportunity to compete against their counterparts from other magical schools, showcasing their skills and abilities in various magical disciplines."

At this point, the entire room had gone utterly quiet, with each person hanging onto every syllable that came out of his mouth, wanting to hear every morsel of information about the competition.

"In this tournament, students will be challenged with the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. Each participant will have to demonstrate their mastery of these elements through a series of magical tests and trials. In the past, the earth challenge would test their ability to manipulate and control the ground beneath their feet to retrieve an artifact. The air challenge pushed their skills in levitation or flying on their brooms. But keep in mind, no Elemental Cup ever plays by the same rules, so you'll need to be quick on your toes!"

"I'm totally going to try out for it," Jade said, cracking her knuckles and looking up for the challenge.

"That's not how it works," Marc snorted sardonically. "You have to win a majority of your House's votes."

"And I'll get them," she bristled, affronted that he'd even dare doubt it.

"I'll believe it when I see it," Marc said, and I nodded in agreement.

"Oh, you'll see it alright," she replied with a devious glint in her eye.

"I'm sure we will," I retorted, raising an eyebrow skeptically and joining in on Marc's fun.

"And I promise you won't be disappointed," she continued, a smirk playing on her lips.

"If you say so," I answered dryly, sharing a sly smile with Marc.

"Guess we'll just have to see how it plays out," he agreed.

"Oh, you two are such bad friends," she laughed as she crossed her arms, her voice full of anticipation.

"Oh, but who else is going to keep your head from swelling to an unmanageable size?" Marc interjected teasingly, glancing at me with playful eyes.

I barely managed to muffle my chuckle, quickly covering my mouth with my hand and sneaking a look back at the Headmaster, who was still talking animatedly.

"...the tournament aims to push the boundaries of what students can achieve and showcase their unique talents to the entire wizarding community," Headmaster Magnus went on to say with a dramatic flourish of his hands, putting a cork on our laughter. "The tournament is society's way to test your adaptability, puzzle-solving skills, and demonstrate resourcefulness... or lack thereof!" He chuckled to himself. "This is a great opportunity for ambitious witches and wizards to prove themselves and gain recognition for their abilities."

I snorted quietly to myself. This was just a fancy way for all the jocks to boost their biceps and buff up their egos.

"Be warned though, while this is an event where new friendships can be forged, it also serves as a platform where rivalries emerge." His foreboding words lingered in the air, casting a pall over the hall like a thick, deathly fog. "I caution those who wish to compete. You might find more than glory."

And that was all the convincing I needed to stay far, far away from this tournament.

Jade shot Marc and me eager smiles that twinkled with unhinged delight, as if to say, 'sounds wild!'

Oh, boy.

With those last ominous parting words from the Headmaster, we were dismissed.

"Horned Serpents! Follow us this way toward your dormitory!" Bethany, the dorm supervisor, shouted above the crowd. The vocal cords on that girl.

Aster rose with all the others who had sorted into Horned Serpent, and gave us a nervous smile. "Guess I'll see you guys around."

"Yep, you're stuck with us now," Jade teased with a wink.

I let out a small laugh. "But seriously, let us know if you need anything."

"Will do." She gave a nod, then took off to tackle her living arrangements. Just thinking about that disorder made me exhausted.

Knowing it'd be a struggle to get through the halls right now, Jade, Marc, and I all remained seated at the table, waiting for the chaos to clear.

"So," Marc turned to me and pointed a finger in my face. "What on Earth possessed you to challenge Dillon? Did you confuse him for a dementor?"

I stammered as Jade also turned on me, raising her brows in a show of solidarity. The one time they see eye-to-eye on something! "I wasn't challenging him, per se. Just his simple-minded goons," I answered and cringed upon hearing my own words. I sounded like a Pudgie with their power trips and delusions of gallantry.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Like that makes it any better."

"I think you're right, Jade. She does have a death wish," Marc deadpanned, and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You're both overreacting," I said to them and pulled my book closer to hug it against my chest. "He won't waste his time with me. With it being our final year, plus quidditch, his sister attending, and the Elemental Cup- which I know he'll enter- he won't have a second to spare for someone as insignificant as me."

They exchanged nervous glances. "Better hope you're right, Aspen," Jade said with a heavy sigh.

"I am," I stated adamantly. I had to be. If my dad ever found out that I didn't just ignore his advice, but made the devil my adversary, he'd never let me live it down. And after mom's untimely death, the last thing he needed to worry about was me getting mixed up with the very people who were suspected of her murder.